Administration feeding set

1. An administration feeding set in combination with a flow control apparatus to deliver fluid from at least one fluid source to a patient, the flow control apparatus comprising a recess, upper and lower sensing devices near the recess for detecting magnetic components or magnetically-susceptible metallic components, and a microprocessor operatively associated with a software subsystem;

the administration feeding set comprising:

tubing for flow of fluid along a fluid pathway;

a mounting member on the tubing receivable in the recess of said flow control apparatus, said fluid pathway extending linearly through said mounting member, said mounting member having upper and lower receiving portions, each receiving portion being adapted to receive an identification member; and

one or more identification members selectively positioned on one or both of said upper and lower receiving portions of the mounting member each identification member comprising a magnetic component or a magnetically-susceptible metallic component;

the arrangement being such that when the administration feeding set is loaded on the flow control apparatus with the mounting member properly positioned in said recess the upper and lower sensing devices are positioned for detecting any identification members on the receiving portions of the mounting member to permit identification of the administration feeding set as having a particular functional configuration different from another functional configuration;

wherein said software system identifies said functional configuration based on said positioning of said one or more identification members, as sensed by said upper and lower sensing devices.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting member has opposite ends and said fluid pathway extends linearly from one end of the mounting member to an opposite end of the mounting member.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said particular functional configuration is a feeding configuration and said another functional configuration is one of a flushing configuration and a re-certification configuration.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said particular functional configuration is a flushing configuration and said another functional configuration is one of a feeding configuration and a re-certification configuration.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said particular functional configuration is a re-certification configuration and said another functional configuration is one of a flushing configuration and a feeding configuration.

6. An administration feeding set in combination with a flow control apparatus to deliver fluid from at least one fluid source to a patient, the flow control apparatus comprising a recess upper and lower sensing devices near the recess for detecting magnetic components or magnetically-susceptible metallic components, and a microprocessor operatively associated with a software subsystem, the administration feeding set comprising:

tubing for flow of fluid along a fluid pathway;

a mounting member on the tubing receivable in the recess of said flow control apparatus, said mounting member extending in a direction around said fluid pathway;

said mounting member having upper and lower receiving portions, each receiving portion being adapted to receive an identification member; and

one or more identification members selectively positioned on one or both of said receiving portions of the mounting member, each identification member comprising a magnetic component or a magnetically-susceptible metallic component;

the arrangement being such that when the administration feeding set is loaded on the flow control apparatus with the mounting member properly positioned in said recess, the upper and lower sensing devices are positioned for detecting any respective identification members on the receiving portions of the mounting member to permit identification of the administration feeding set as having a particular functional configuration different from another functional configuration;

wherein said software system selects said functional configuration based on said positioning of said one or more identification members as sensed by said upper and lower sensing devices.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said mounting member is cylindrical.

8. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said fluid pathway extends through said at least two receiving portions.

9. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said mounting member has opposite ends and said fluid pathway extends from one end of the mounting member to an opposite end of the mounting member.

10. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said particular functional configuration is a feeding configuration and said another functional configuration is one of a flushing configuration and a re-certification configuration.

11. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said particular functional configuration is a flushing configuration and said another functional configuration is one of a feeding configuration and a re-certification configuration.

12. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said particular functional configuration is a re-certification configuration and said another functional configuration is one of a flushing configuration and a feeding configuration.

13. A method of identifying a feeding administration set as having a particular functional configuration different from another functional configuration, said administration feeding set comprising tubing for flow of fluid along a fluid pathway toward a patient, and a mounting member on the tubing adapted to engage a flow control apparatus, said fluid pathway extending through the mounting member, and said mounting member having at least two spaced apart receiving portions at opposite ends of the mounting member and co-axial with said fluid pathway, each receiving portion being adapted to receive an identification member, said method comprising the steps of:

selectively positioning one or more identification members on one or more of said at least two spaced apart receiving portions at opposite ends of the mounting member in a manner indicative of said particular functional configuration of the administration feeding set, each identification member comprising a magnetic component or a magnetically-susceptible metallic component adapted to be detected by a sensing device on the flow control apparatus; and

connecting said tubing to opposite ends of the mounting member to permit flow of fluid through the tubing and the mounting member; and

identifying said particular functional configuration of the administration set, wherein a software system of said flow control apparatus identifies said particular functional configuration based on said positioning of said one or more identification members as sensed by said upper and lower sensing devices.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said tubing comprises a first stretchable tubing and a second tubing, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of connecting the first stretchable tubing to one end of the mounting member and connecting the second tubing to an opposite end of the mounting member.

15. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein two of the at least two receiving portions are at said opposite ends of the mounting member.

16. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the fluid pathway through the mounting member is a linear flow passage co-axial with said at least two receiving portions.